This invention is directed to plastic pallets for material transport. More particularly, the invention relates to substantially unitary plastic pallets designed to receive and carry a single case or carton of merchandise. The construction of the pallets permits the stacking of cases of merchandise one upon the other without interference therewith and without interference in the viewing of writing or the like on the cases or cartons of merchandise. The pallet is designed with short legs so that the first pallet of the stack is resting slightly above the floor or ground to permit the blade of a handtruck to be pushed under the pallet. The pallets and the cases can, therefore, be lifted by the handtruck without possibility of the stack of merchandise slipping and/or toppling in the course of positioning of the blade of the handtruck.
Pallets for material handling are commonly employed in commerce to transport virtually all types of merchandise from one location to another. However, most pallets heretofore used are designed to carry a plurality of cases or cartons or barrels of merchandise and the pallets loaded with the merchandise are handled with forklift trucks or the like. Normally, the merchandise is carried to the pallets for shipment with a handtruck. Additionally, after the pallets with the merchandise are settled at a particular location of use, a number of cases or cartons are transported away from the pallet for storage or to the place of sale or use by means of a handtruck. Normally, a plurality of cases are placed one upon another on the floor next to the pallet and thereafter tipped away from the handtruck operator so as to position the blade of the handtruck under the lowermost case. The cartons, as a unit, are thereafter tipped back toward the user onto the handtruck for transport. At times, particularly when the merchandise is displayed in a half-case, that is where the carton containing the merchandise only comprises a bottom and half sides, there is a danger of the cases of merchandise slipping and toppling to the floor. When this happens, the merchandise can be damaged and, additionally, damage can be caused to goods or the like in the area surrounding the mishap. There is always a consumption of time and energy in collecting and recasing the merchandise.